New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu Signs Full-Day Kindergarten Bill

Published at 5:19 PM EDT on Jul 12, 2017

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With a crowd of youngsters looking on, New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill that achieves one of his top priorities: state funding for full-day kindergarten.

The state currently pays half its standard per-student amount for kindergarten pupils, or about $1,800. Under the law Sununu signed Wednesday, the state will provide an additional $1,100 per full-day kindergarten student starting in 2019 and more in later years if revenue from the newly-legalized keno lottery game exceeds expectations.

Critics say Sununu failed to deliver on his promise to treat kindergarteners the same as older students because the law doesn't provide full funding. But the governor and other supporters call it a big step forward.